Animal-trap.



No. 662,279. Patented Nov. 20, I900. J. B. LINDSEY.

A N l M A L T R A P (Application filed Sept. 25, 1900) (No Model.)

ms NORRIS PETERS co, wom-uwuv. WASHINGTON, n c

I FFiCiEt JAMES B. LINDSEY, OF CHESTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO D. EARL OOLVIN, OF SAME PLACE.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION farmin part of I letters Patent no. 662,279, datedNovember 20, 1900.

Application filed September 25, 1900. Serial No. 31,060. (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES B. LINDSEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chester, in the county ofChester and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and usefulAnimal-Trap, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in animal-traps.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofanimal-traps and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eflicient onedesigned especially for destroying rats and mice and adapted to resetitself automatically and capable of effectually preventing the animalsfrom getting the bait, so that the latter will not have to becontinually renewed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trap of this characterin which the receptacle for the captured animals will also serve tohouse the trap mechanism when the trap is not in use.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an animal-trapconstructed in accordance with this invention and arranged for use. Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectional view, the trap mechanism being arranged within the receptacle.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

1 designates a receptacle rectangular in cross-section, designed to beconstructed of sheet metal or other suitable material and adapted toform a receptacle for the captured animals and also for the trapmechanism hereinafter explained to enable such mechanism to be arrangedout of the Way and to be protected, and also to permit the trap to becompactly arranged for shipping and storing. The receptacle, which isprovided with a cover 2, has a pair of transverse supportingrods 3located adjacent to its ends and disposed a short distance below itsupper edges to provide a space for a rectangular frame 4, so that thelatter will be flush with the upper edges of the receptacle when theparts are arranged for use, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cover isdesigned to be placed on the receptacle, as indicated in Fig. 3 of thedrawing, when the rectangular frame and the parts carried by the sameare housed within the receptacle. The rectangular frame is composed oflongitudinal side bars 5 and connecting cross-bars 6, and the said sidebars 5 are provided with central vertical extensions 7, forming sidesupports, and connected by a top piece 8. mately triangular, beingpreferably tapered toward their upper ends, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,and they are also preferably formed of sheet metal. The top cross-piece8, which is also formed of sheet metal, is integral with the sides 7 andis provided at its top or upper face with a trough 9, designed tocontain water and preferably constructed of sheet metal. The side Walls10 of the trough are preferably formed integral with the connecting toppiece 8, and consist of upturned flanges which are connected by the endwalls 11, also preferably formed integral with the side flanges, andconsisting of extensions thereof. The sheet metal at the side edges ofthe connecting top piece may be bent upward to form side flanges, andthe end portions thereof may be severed from the top piece 8 and benttransversely thereof to form the end walls.

The trough is designed to contain water, and a suitable solid bait ofcheese or other material may be suspended beneath the trough by abait-holder 12, consisting of a hook, and the bait is located over theinner ends of a pair of tilting trap-doors 13, hinged between their endsat 14: by any suitable means and provided at their outer ends withsuitable Weights 15, adapted to return the trap-doors to a horizontalposition for resetting the trap after an animal has been captured. Theouter portions of the trap-doors are supported upon the transverseconnecting-bars 6, and they form a solid platform for the animals inapproaching the bait; but as soon as the animal, attracted by the bait,passes beyond the point of hinging the trapdoor the latter will be Theside extensions are approXi- 'it in the receptacle.

tilted and will precipitate the animal into the receptacle. Any attemptof the animal to escape will be by jumping forward; but as the innerportion of the opposite trap-door is adapted to tilt'it will beabsolutely impossible for the animal to escape. The receptacle isdesigned to contain about three inches of water, which will besufficient to drown the captured animals.

It will be seen that the trap is exceedingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it is strong and durable and not liable to get out oforder, and that it is positive and reliable in operation and capable ofautomatically resetting itself after each operation. It will also beapparent that its great simplicity will avoid exciting any suspicion ofit in the animals to be destroyed and that the clear passage-way betweenthe supports will also serve to remove any distrust and that thewater-trough is a great advantage and will often attract animals whenother bait will not.

The rectangular frame and the parts carried thereby constitute the trapmechanism and may be readily removed by tilting the rectangular frame,so that its upper end will clear the adjacent rod 3, and it is arrangedin substantially the same position in placing The downward swingof theinner portions of the tilting trap-doors are preferably limited bysuitable steps 16, preferably formed by transverse rods, secured attheir ends to the side bars of the rectangular frame.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described compris ing areceptacle designed to be provided with a cover and havingsupporting-rods located near its top, the rectangular frame adapted tobe placed within the receptacle and arranged upon the transverse rodsand provided with upwardly-extending supports located at opposite sidesof the frame, a top piece con necting the supports and provided at thetop with. a trough and having a depending baitholder located beneath thetrough, and the tilting trap-doors having weighted outer portions,substantially as and for the purpose described. Q

2. A device of the class described com prising a receptacle designed tobe provided with a cover and having upper supporting-rods, a rectangularframe adapted to be arranged either upon the supporting-rods or withinthe receptacle and provided at opposite sides with supports, the top barconnecting the supports and provided with a water-trough consisting ofside and end walls formed integral with the top piece, the side wallsbeing formed by side flanges and the end walls consisting of extensionsthereof, severed at their lower edges from the top piece and benttransversely thereof, and the tilting trap-doors mounted within theframe,substantially as described. In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

JAMES B. LINDSEY.

Witnesses:

JAMES YOUNG, SAML. E. MCFADDEN.

